Jeep's latest Grand Cherokee
has been an Autoweek favorite since it went on sale roughly two and a
half years ago, and the company credits it with resparking sales enough
to position it once again as a midsize SUV market leader. Now, the 2014
model adds relatively significant upgrades and options that push the
Grand Cherokee's appeal higher than ever before.
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| The 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee goes on sale this spring. |
Indeed, since the Detroit auto show
in January Jeep executives have boasted of how the refreshed model
represents a new development ethos: In the past, they admit, they would
introduce a new model, then allow it to languish pretty much unchanged
for years until a replacement arrived.
Not this time around.
From
a hardware standpoint, the two big stories are a new eight-speed ZF
automatic transmission that is standard on all models, replacing the
previous five-speed gearbox across the board. Also, a new turbodiesel V6
is now available in addition to the familiar 3.6-liter Pentastar V6
(290 hp at 6,400 rpm; 260 lb-ft at 4,800 rpm) and 5.7-liter V8 (360 hp
at 5,150 rpm; 390 lb-ft at 4,250 rpm). In other words, improved fuel
economy is the name of Jeep's game for the 2014 model year.
Along
with quicker acceleration, especially in the mid-range, and better fuel
economy, the eight-speed transmission offers a crawl ratio of 44.1:1,
which is better suited to tackling extreme grades (when you opt for the
two-speed transfer case).
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| A rear view of the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee. |
The Italian-built EcoDiesel V6 by VM
Motori, which is co-owned by Chrysler and its corporate parent, Fiat,
falls under the companies' "world engine" umbrella. It meets global
emissions standards thanks to the use of urea after-treatment and a
particulate filter; the 8.5-gallon tank of urea should last about 10,000
miles, meaning you'll need to replenish it at the same time as changing
the oil, according to Jeep.
Opting for the diesel -- a $2,300
premium over the optional V8 on Limited, Overland and Summit models; it
is not available on the Laredo -- gives you 240 hp at 3,600 rpm and 420
lb-ft at 2,000, while returning 22 mpg in the city, 30 on the highway
for two-wheel-drive models. Four-wheel drive drops that to 21/28. For
comparison, the Pentastar-equipped 2wd model is rated at 17/25, the 4WD
version at 17/24. The V8 comes in at 14/22 and 14/20, again depending on
2WD or 4WD.
Also of note, the turbodiesel-equipped machine boasts
an impressive 7,400-pound towing capacity, the same as the 2WD V8 Grand
Cherokee. That means buyers now have the option of exceeding the V8
Grand Cherokee's practical capability while also getting notably better
fuel mileage.
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| The instrument panel in the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee. |
You can't see the engines unless you open the hoods,
but the 2014 Grand Cherokee does differ visually from last year's. Jeep
now offers revised exterior trim across its range of Grand Cherokees,
from the entry-level Laredo to the Limited, Overland and new
top-of-the-line Summit models. The company, of course, describes the new
look as "more premium," and though that is subjective, we generally
agree -- though in some ways, you might feel it has lost at least some
of its trademark ruggedness. A squatter grille and slimmer headlights
are noticeable, as are different headlight and taillight packages
(including xenon and LED bulbs), and revised lower front and rear
fascias. Grand Cherokee aficionados will learn to tell each model apart
based on various trim pieces such as grilles, side-mirror and door
handle treatments, painted or unpainted side rocker panels, chrome
treatments, different exhaust tips, disguised or exposed trailer-hitch
receivers, and varying finishes for the fascias.
The package gets
even better once you climb inside what was already a solid interior.
Klaus Busse, Chrysler's head of interior design, explained that he and
his team realized that Jeeps naturally beg for materials and color
pallets inspired by nature. Gone are the tacky chrome accents, replaced
by copper and other warm and Earth-tone color combinations, plus nicely
textured real wood trim to go along with available contrasting piping
and stitching on various surfaces throughout the cabin.
Capping
the luxury feel -- and a welcome upgrade -- is the addition of a
Uconnect infotainment system, which replaces the sub-par onboard
interface of the pre-refresh Grand Cherokee. It's 8.4-inch center-stack
screen fills console space, looks good and is intuitive to operate,
either via voice commands or steering wheel controls. The cloud-friendly
system allows for some fun, too, such as downloading performance
numbers from, say, the Grand Cherokee SRT8, and then uploading to the
cloud for comparison with friends' (and foes') own data.
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| A V6 diesel engine is an option on the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee. |
What is it like to drive?
The
same as before, unless you opt for the turbodiesel. Well, actually,
that's not entirely true. While the driving dynamics remain unchanged
other than the smooth shifting and quicker acceleration (no, we haven't
run numbers on the Grand Cherokee, so we're effectively taking Jeep's
word) provided by the eight-speed gearbox, the upgraded interior makes
the entire driving and/or riding experience much nicer than it was
already, which is to say top notch.
For the driver, an all-new
digital instrument cluster provides all the information you could want
via a multitude of displays accessible at the push of a steering
wheel-mounted button.
Our initial impressions of the
turbodiesel-equipped Grand Cherokee are a mixed bag. The engine is not
as smooth or as quiet as other modern oil burners on the market, a
characteristic most noticeable at idle and on partial throttle openings
when accelerating away from stops. In simplistic terms, it feels more
"diesely" than what we've become accustomed to in recent years. That
said, it is impossible to ignore its towing grunt and solid mileage, and
though we did not drive it nearly as far, its potential 730-mile
driving range (depending upon driving style and conditions) means a
majority of buyers won't have to make weekly stops at the pump.
Do I want one?
The
Grand Cherokee remains a class-leader across the board, with the 2014
models upping the game of a long-time staple of the SUV world. In SUV
terms, it's enjoyable to drive even though the steering lacks a bit of
directness, and its new interior appointments, especially, make for a
relaxing traveling environment that conveys a far-reaching impression of
luxury and quality throughout. But if you've driven the latest crop of
Grand Cherokees, you already know this.
The question you're likely
asking is, do I want the turbodiesel? As mentioned, our early
impressions say it depends wholly on how you intend to use the vehicle.
If the V6 model's towing capacity (6,200 pounds in both 2WD and 4WD
versions) doesn't meet your requirements -- and you also do not want to
take the miles-per-gallon hit with the V8, and don't care about all-out
speed and response when it comes to your engine -- then by all means the
EcoDiesel is worth considering seriously.
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| The digital gauges in the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee. |
If, however, your
driving consists of suburban duty and limited towing, it's probably
difficult to justify the EcoDiesel's $4,500 premium over a similarly
equipped V6 model -- and don't forget, diesel costs more than regular
fuel, so this won't be a "one and done" price premium.
Regardless,
speaking of the lineup in general, the 2014 editions are solid
improvements that will hold us over just fine until an all-new Grand
Cherokee arrives, likely in 2016.
2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
ON SALE: March
BASE PRICE: $29,790 (Base price for Limited model with EcoDiesel: $41,290)
DRIVETRAIN: 3.6-liter, 290-hp, 260-lb-ft V6; RWD, eight-speed automatic
CURB WEIGHT: 4,545 lbs.
FUEL ECONOMY (CITY/HIGHWAY/COMBINED): 17/25/20 mpg (EcoDiesel, for comparison: 22/30/25 mpg)
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